Society in general continues to attach a stigma to hair loss. The desire for a healthy full head of hair has resulted in a variety of approaches to the "curing" of baldness. Investigation of the hair bulb has been among the multitude of hair growth studies that have been reported in the literature. There are two essential features of the hair follicle. These include the epithelia and a specialized dermal compartment called the dermal papilla. The epithelia give rise to to the epidermal stem cells which in turn give rise to the outer root sheath, giving rise to the matrix cell, which gives rise to the inner root sheath and hair fiber. The size of the dermal papilla is related to the size of the hair follicle, and the size of the follicle is related to the size of the hair produced. For example, terminal hair follicles on the scalp of haired individuals are longer and produce long, thick hair. These follicles contain large dermal papilla. In contrast, vellus follicles commonly observed on a bald scalp are small and produce short, thin hair. These vellus follicles contain a small dermal papilla. Similar observations relating to the relationship between the size of the papilla and the hair follicle, and ultimately hair growth, have been made in animals having fur. The specific factors which regulate the size of the dermal papilla may ultimately regulate hair growth.
European Patent Application No. 0,215,274, Eisinger, assigned to the Memorial Hospital for Cancer and Allied Diseases, published Mar. 25, 1987, discloses the sonification of epidermal cells to extract the intracellular materials. Methods to enhance wound healing, regenerate epidermis, and enhance hair growth via application of the epidermal cell extract are also diclosed.
Eisinger, M., S. Sadan, I. A. Silver and R. B. Flick, (Mar. 1988) "Growth Regulation of Skin Cells by Epidermal Cell-Derived Factors: Implications for Wound Healing", Procedures of the National Academy of Sciences, Vol. 85, pp. 1937-1941, discloses an epidermal cell-derived growth factor derived by sonification of the epidermal cells or from a cell free supernatant. The factor has the following characteristics: 1) it is directly mitogenic to epidermal cells; 2) it is not directly mitogenic to 3T3 cells; 3) it directly inhibits fibroblast metabolic activity; and 4) it has an approximate molecular weight of 1000 daltons.
World Patent Application 89/07425, Sackier, Wood, Krishnan and Wigginton, assigned to Genethics Ltd., published Aug. 24, 1989, claims an ointment, lotion, cream or gel containing amnion epithelial cells and extracts from such epithelial cells dispersed in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. '07245 further discloses that such a composition may be used to stimulate hair follicle and hair growth.